Tube Free Toilet Paper Roll Adapter

ABSTRACT

An Adapter (device) facilitating the insertion of a Tube Free Toilet Paper Roll onto a conventional wall mounted toilet paper dispenser shaft by being inserted in place of the cardboard tube cores traditionally used in toilet paper.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention applies generally to wall mounted toilet paper dispensers and, more specifically to Adaptors for inserting Tube Free Toilet Paper Rolls on existing conventional toilet paper roll dispenser shaft.

2. BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART

Toilet paper companies started selling toilet paper rolls without cardboard tube cores (Tube Free Toilet Paper Rolls) in the past few years (Kimberly-Clark started tube-free Scott toilet paper on Nov. 1, 2010).

This design was developed with two main goals. First, with the environmental goal of saving tens of thousands of tones of cardboard yearly, and secondly the financial goal of lowering manufacturing costs.

The final product, tube free toilet paper, is a quality toilet paper with one major drawback; unfortunately, once shipped for retail, the rolls get compressed and the center space collapses and gets filled (see FIG. 2) making the roll hard to insert on the shaft of conventional wall mounted toilet paper holders. Also, since the center space looses shape (see FIG. 2), the end paper is always wrinkled and difficult to use, at best.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,762 to Reinheimer, et al. offers a first solution to the problem by using a box type adapter that unlike this new adapter (1) does not provide a solution to using the last sheets of paper on each roll. It is also built of multiple parts which makes it more costly to manufacture.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,170 to Mitchell, et al., a parallel claim related to oversized toilet paper rolls vs. Tube Free Toilet Paper Rolls was selected as an example of similar patent.

The Adapter (1) is the solution to the primary problem tube free toilet paper is facing. Indeed, a majority of unsatisfied first time users are immediately switching to different toilet paper. The Adapter (1) can be distributed either attached to multipacks of toilet paper rolls or independently as a low cost retrofit product. This will allow environmentally friendly tube free toilet paper to possibly become leader and model to all other toilet paper types, thus saving tens of thousands of tones of cardboard tubes yearly.

The inexistence of directly related prior art highlights the credibility, validity and importance of such an invention.

3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The Adapter (1) described below as well as in the attached drawings is the preferred design option. It is not the only option covered by this patent. The prototype device was made out of PVC although any solid but flexible material may be used. A bioplastic material would be favored for one time use environmentally friendly adapters (1), possibly provided with each multipack of Tube Free Toilet Paper Rolls (2). Regular plastic, metal or composite material may be used for longer lasting and/or high end adapters (1).

The Adapter (1) will be manufactured of a single cylindrical piece of solid but flexible material. It will have one tubular end keeping the device rigid followed by two arms flexible enough to touch each other at the other end, under reasonable pressure, when pressed with two fingers. These two arms will reset to their original position once released creating a solid core. The length of the Adapter (1) will be slightly longer than the length of a toilet paper roll. The diameter of the device shall be similar to that of a traditional toilet paper roll's cardboard tube to easily adapt to all different types of wall mounted toilet paper dispensers. The Adapter will also work with regular toilet paper rolls with the only advantage of not having to be removed from the toilet paper dispenser and thus not getting easily lost.

4. DESCRIPTION AND EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 represents the Adapter (1) in two detailed drawings:

a) Three view technical drawing

b) Isometric view.

FIG. 2 represents a Tube Free Toilet Paper Roll (2) in an average retail condition in two different views for better understanding:

a) Cross section view.

b) Isometric view.

FIG. 3 is a sequence of events required for operation of the Adapter (1):

a) Squeeze the tip of the Adapter (1) between the thumb and the index.

b) Insert the squeezed tip of the Adapter (1) inside the Tube Free Toilet Paper Roll's (2) center empty space.

c) Gently push the Adapter (1) through the roll to the stop.

d) Insert the toilet paper dispenser shaft through the Adapter (1) and toilet paper roll.

e) Reposition the shaft on the dispenser and use like a conventional toilet paper roll.

FIG. 4 is an isometric drawing of a conventional toilet paper dispenser with removable shaft, with the Adapter (1) and a Tube Free Toilet Paper Roll (2) installed.

FIG. 5 is an isometric drawing of a conventional toilet paper dispenser with fixed shaft, with the Adapter (1) and a Tube Free Toilet Paper Roll (2) installed.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are apparent and inherent to the Adapter (1).

Since many possible design options may be made of this invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that, all matter herein set forth or shown in the attached drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative, not in a limiting sense. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An adapter (1) made of a single piece of solid but flexible material. This Adapter (1) will be squeezable between fingers to fit inside the center of a tube free toilet paper roll (2) and pushed through until positioned at the center of the roll. As it is released, the device will extend back to its original shape creating a solid core easily fitting on a conventional wall mounted toilet paper holder shaft (FIG. 4). This Adapter (1) will also permit the toilet paper to be used to the last sheet by preventing the end paper from wrinkling. It can then be removed and used for the next roll. The diameter of the device shall be similar to that of the inner diameter a traditional toilet paper roll's cardboard tube to easily adapt to all different types of wall mounted toilet paper dispensers.
 2. The Adapter (1) may be designed for a one time use, a few uses or long lasting use. The material of which it is built will determine the number of uses and life limit of the adapter (1). 